He also owns several rental properties in Tahlequah. Career Īfter graduating from college, Baker invested in a furniture store and built Baker Furniture into a thriving business in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. He graduated from Tahlequah High School in 1969 and from Northeastern State University in 1972 with a bachelor's degree in political science and history. Of mixed ethnicity, like many Cherokee citizens, he is 1/32 (3.1%) Cherokee by blood. In 1999, Baker unsuccessfully ran for Deputy Chief of the Cherokee Nation.īill John Baker was born in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, where his family has been for four generations. Prior to his election as Chief, Baker served 12 years on the Cherokee Tribal Council.
First elected in October 2011, Baker defeated three-term incumbent Chief Chad 'Corntassel' Smith. Bill John Baker (born February 9, 1952) is a Native American ( Cherokee Nation) politician who served as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
